1 After these things (58 YEARS LATER) during the rule of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra came to Jerusalem from Babylon. Ezra was the son of Seraiah. Seraiah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Hilkiah. 2 Hilkiah was the son of Shallum. Shallum was the son of Zadok. Zadok (HIGH PRIEST AT THE TIME OF KING DAVID) was the son of Ahitub. 3 Ahitub was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Meraioth. 4 Meraioth was the son of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the son of Uzzi. Uzzi was the son of Bukki. 5 Bukki was the son of Abishua. Abishua was the son of Phinehas. Phinehas was the son of Eleazar. Eleazar was the son of Aaron the High Priest. THE POINT HERE IS TO SHOW US THAT EZRA IS A LEGITIMATE PRIEST, FOR ONLY AARON’S SON ELEAZAR REPRESENTS THE PRIESTLY LINE - HIS OTHER SONS PRODUCED WHAT THE SCRIPTURE CALLS LEVITES, WHO ARE NOT-PRIESTS PER'SE BUT QUALIFIED TO BE TEMPLE'S 'BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS'.
6 Ezra came to Jerusalem from Babylon. He was a Teacher (A SCRIBE: ONE WHO MADE COPIES OF SCROLLS AND ALSO STUDIED THEM) and he knew the Law of Moses very well, for it was given by YAHUAH, the Alahim of Israel. King Artaxerxes gave Ezra everything he asked for because YAHUAH was with Ezra.
7 Among the people who came with Ezra were Israelites, Priests, Levites, Singers, Gatekeepers, and Temple servants. They arrived in Jerusalem during the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. 8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year that Artaxerxes was King (JULY–AUG 458 B.C). 9 Ezra left Babylon on the first day of the first month and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month. With YAHUAH’S good blessings his trip went very well. 10 For Ezra had always prepared his heart and given his time and attention to seeking the Instructions of YAHUAH by studying and obeying His laws, and to do it (BEHAVE IT) and to teach it to others.
11 This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the Priest and Teacher:
12 From King Artaxerxes, to Ezra the Priest, a Teacher of the law of the Alahim of Heaven:
Greetings! 13 I give this order: Any of the Israelites living in my Kingdom, including Priests and Levites, who want to go with you to Jerusalem, may go. 14 I and my seven advisors send you to Judah and Jerusalem. Go and see how your people are doing in obeying the law of your Alahim. You have that law with you. 15 I and my advisors are giving gold and silver to the Alahim of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. You must take this gold and silver with you. 16 You must also go through all the provinces of Babylonia. Collect the gifts from your people, from the Priests, and from the Levites. The gifts are for the Temple of their Alahim in Jerusalem. 17 Use this money to buy bulls, rams, and male lambs. Buy the grain offerings and drink offerings that go with these sacrifices. Then sacrifice them on the altar in the Temple of your Alahim in Jerusalem. 18 Then you and the other Jews may spend the silver and gold left over any way you want to. Use it in a way that is pleasing to your Alahim. 19 Take all these things to the Alahim of Jerusalem. They are for the worship in the Temple of your Alahim. 20 And you may get any other things that you need for the Temple of your Alahim. Use the money in the King’s treasury to buy anything you need. 21 Now I, King Artaxerxes, give this order: I order all the men who keep the King’s money in the area west of the Euphrates River to give Ezra anything he wants. Ezra is a Priest and a Teacher of the Law of the Alahim of Heaven. Do this quickly and completely. 22 Give this much to Ezra: 3450kg of silver, 22,000L of wheat, 2200L of wine, 2200L of olive oil, and as much salt as Ezra wants. 23 Anything that the Alahim of Heaven has ordered for Ezra to get, you must give to Ezra quickly and completely. Do this for the Temple of the Alahim of Heaven, for we don’t want Him to be angry with my Kingdom or my sons. 24 I want you men to know that it is against the Law to make the Priests, Levites, Singers, Gatekeepers, Temple servants, and other workers in Alahim’s Temple pay taxes. They don’t have to pay taxes, money to honour the King, or any customs fees. 25 Ezra, I give you the authority to use the wisdom you have from your Alahim and choose civil and spiritual judges. These men will be judges for all the people living in the area west of the Euphrates River. They will judge all the people who know the laws of your Alahim and they will teach those who don’t know those laws. 26 Anyone who does not obey the law of your Alahim, or the law of the King, must be punished. Depending on the crime, they must be punished with death, or sent away to another country, or their property taken away, or put into prison. 27 Blessed is YAHUAH, the Alahim of our ancestors. He put the idea into the King’s heart to honour YAHUAH’S Temple in Jerusalem. 28 YAHUAH showed his trustworthy love to me in front of the King, his advisors, and the King’s important officials. YAHUAHmy Alahim was with me, and that gave me courage. So I gathered together the leaders of Israel to go with me to Jerusalem. THE FIRST ISSUE DEALT WITH REGARDING THE TEMPLE (SIMPLY GETTING IT BUILT), WAS FINALLY ACCOMPLISHED BUT IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE YAHUAH SENT TWO PROPHETS (HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH) TO GOAD THE RELUCTANT JEWS INTO IGNORING THE OUTSIDE POLITICAL PRESSURES AND THREATS FROM NEARBY NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES, AND INSTEAD TO TRUST IN YAHUAH THAT BUILDING THE TEMPLE WOULD BRING FORTH A BLESSING AND NOT MORE PRESSURE UPON THE JEWISH PEOPLE. THEN AFTER MANY YEARS EZRA CAME TO RESTORE LAW AND ORDER IN THE TEMPLE, SO THAT YAHUAH'S BLESSINGS WOULD BE WITH HIS PEOPLE ... REMEMBER EZRA ALWAYS PREPARED HIS HEART TO PLEASE YAHUAH THROUGH HIS LIFE AND BEHAVIOUR : HOW DO WE PREPARE OUR HEARTS?
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